No matter what part of the country you’re in, we can all agree that with short daylight hours and dark nights, this is the time of year to put out our warm clothes, cozy up to fires and eat comfort foods…and…that’s what today’s guest post is all about!
Do we have any Italians in the house? Italian or not, you’re going to want to get comfy in the kitchen with this creamy pasta dish by Vegan Fatty Boombalatty‘s Stacy De Lin. Welcome to Cowgirls & Collard Greens Stacy, thanks for being with us!
Yeehaw, Kayle
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Hello fellow cowgirls (and cowboys) and lovers of collard greens! I’m Stacy and I sometimes blog at Vegan Fatty Boombalatty. I am so excited to be a guest blogger on Kayle’s blog today!
Kayle and I met online and were instant kindred spirits. I grew up in the South, a bit of a country cowgirl myself. Like Kayle, we both grew up around animals and learned to love them and didn’t want them on our plates.
Furthermore, as a physician specializing in women’s health, I am incredibly moved by Kayle’s willingness to share her breast cancer survival story. I have shared Kayle’s story with my own patients as an excellent example of how nutrition can make a huge difference in the life of those struggling with cancer and chronic illness. I have always admired Kayle’s courage in sharing her story in order to support her fellow cancer survivors.
So it is with great joy that I contribute to Kayle’s blog today! As an Italian-American, y’all knew you were getting a spaghetti recipe today. I mean, who doesn’t love pasta? (Really? Who? If you don’t, we should probably just avoid each other.) 🙂
This is a recipe I ate in my pre-vegan days, but I easily veganized it due to the joy that is cashew cream. This is one I serve to guests when they come over and they are always highly impressed! You can use any type of dried mushroom, but I highly suggest chewy chanterelles, which go so well with the garlic, wine and cream. Enjoy!
Creamy Pasta with ChanterellesÂ
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup dried chanterelle mushrooms
• Boiling water
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup mushroom liquid
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 1/4 lb of spaghetti
• 2 teaspoon truffle oil (optional, but so good)
• Vegan parmesan (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Reconstitute dried mushrooms with 2-3 cups of boiling water for about 30 minutes. Remove chanterelles once soft and coarsely chop in a processor. Set the mushroom liquid aside, straining out any remaining small pieces left in the liquid.
Meanwhile, blend 1/4 cup raw cashews with 1 cup of water in a high-speed blender until thoroughly combined. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can soak the cashews for about 4 hours until completely soft before blending.
Sauté garlic slices in olive oil until browned and then remove garlic from the oil. Then add the mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper to the olive oil and sauté for about 1 minute. Next add the wine, 1 cup mushroom liquid, and nutmeg. Cook over high heat until reduced by about one-third. Add the cashew cream, and then stir while boiling for about one minute, until sauce thickens and comes together.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Set aside some of the pasta water while it cooks. When finished cooking, drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Add the truffle oil and toss in the pan for about 1 minute. Loosen the sauce with pasta water. Serve immediately, sprinkling with vegan parmesan if desired. Mangia!
Stacy De-Lin is a physician and occasional vegan blogger at www.veganfatty.com . She lives in New York City with her husband Keith and their vegan rescue pitbull, Butters.
